Furnace.



J. OHURGHWARD.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, 1911.

Patented Aug. 5, 1913 Z SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR A770R/VEVS .UNITED sT 'rEs PATENT or uou. I

JAMES onunonwaan, or MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 ciruacrrwaun INTERNATIONAL STEEL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

' Application filed April 26, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

others skilled in' the art to which it. apper-.

tains to make and use the same! This invention relates to furnaces, and

withrespect to its more specific features, to

a'rotatable furnace. I p f I One of the objects of the invention is to provide a practical device of theclass d escribed adapted to thoroughly mix molten Imaterial contained therein.

Another object is to provide an efficient device of the class described adapted to provide a high temperature.

Another object is ;to provide a device of the class described comprising a simple andv compact heating means.

Another object is to provide a device of the class described which shall possess few parts, shall be easy to operate and cheap to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a simple, practical device of the class described comprising efficient means for cooling material.

Other objects will be inpart obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features ofconstruction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction"hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings, wherein is represented one of the various possible embodiments of this invention, Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation thereof, oniitting a portion of the lining for clearness; Fig. 2 is a plan. View thereof showing a portion in section on the line XX of Fig. 1: Fig. 3 is a side sectional elevation on the line X-X of Fig.

2, omitting a portion of the lining for clearness; Fig. 4 is-a detail view of a portion of the heatingmeans; Fig. 5 is a detail View of Specification of Letters Patent.

FURNACE.

Patented Au 5,1913.

Serial No. 623,359.

It is believed that it will tend to a more complete appreciation of some of the important features of the device to call attention to the fact that in the use of devices for the heat treatment of materials it is in many cases highly desirable to secure a thorough blending of the various components making-up the material used. For example, in the metallurgical art, in the production of alloys and in the various operations of smeltlng, refining, etc, it is generally necessary to secure a thoroughly-mixed and homogeneous mass. In the addition of materials having a high melting point to a molten bath, there are apt to occur segregations in the mass resulting in an improper blending thereof. If the metal be agitated and the various portions of the mixture be quickly and thoroughly brought into contact with one another, there is little'opportunity for these segregations and the result is a more perfeet and homogeneous product.

That the invention herein disclosed is eminently fitted to secure homogeneity in molten material and especially metallic admixtures, and possesses many other highly desirable features for general heat treatment of materials, will be apparent bynoting the structureand. mode of-operation of the embodiment shown in the drawings.

Referring now to Fig. 1, 1 represents a table adapted to rotate, which is provided with a toothed periphery 2 and with a fixed support 3. ,The lower surface of the table is provided with an annular groove 4. and the upper surface of the supportis provided with a corresponding annular groove 5.

'Betweenthe table. and its support, and resting in the grooves of each, are balls 6 adapt ed to serve as ball-bearing members for the table. The table is also provided with a stud '7 adapted to fiti'nto a bearing 8 in the fixed'support Mounted upon the table and attached thereto is the furnace proper.

Tl1v table is adapted to be rotated by means nace, which is preferably upright, comprises a substantially cylindrical outer shell'or cas ing 11, surroundlng a single inner melting or heating chamber 12, and, as shown, may

- is substantially cylindrical. The walls, howshown is a Zea be conveniently pot-shaped. ft is provided with a dome-shaped cover and the cover and heating chamber are both lined with suitable refractory material, preferably adapted to withstand high temperatures. The furnace is provided with'a door 14 and a tap 15. The'inner periphery of the fur nace conforms to that of the outer casing and ever, of the lower portion of the inner lin' ing converge to form a slanting, troughsliaped portion 16 which gradually increases in depth from one side of the furnace across to the tap 15. As will be noted int-he embodiment shown, the troughdike ortion is preferably diametrically disposed. In order.

to stir up the material in the furnace by views of Figs'a, 5 and 6, the projecting bricks which project beyond the outermost surface of the flat bricks are preferably provided with a beveled surface 19, the bevel extending from a point near the upper edge and about midway of the length of the brick, downwardly and backwardly at a convenient angle, in the embodimentshown approximately 30. \Vhen thebricks are set in op erative position, the plane of the beveled surface of each preferably extends in a direction oblique to the direction of rotation of the furnace and is so disposed that the surface deflects the particles of material held in the furnace. According to this construe.

tion, when thefurnace'shown in Fig. 1 is rotated counter-clockwise, the material held therein will contactwith the beveled surface of the bricks, and, owing to the obliquity thereof, will he deflected into the.

lower portion of the furnace. Owing to the fact that the fluid contained in the furnace tered as desired according to the size of the furnace, the various-conditions under which The furnace may be heated in any desired manner, but as shown in this embodiment, it is adapted to be will not rotate as rapidly as the furnace wall, the fluid, will have av motion with respect to this wall. The disposition of the beveled bricks with relation to the position of the flush bricks of the inner lining of the surface, proferably forms, as shown, see Fig. (5, achecker-board design, which may be .211-

it is to be operated, etc.

heated by electric current. The current is transmitted to the furnace through the wires 20 which are. oined to contact members 21,.

the contact members being preferably? stitionary and attached at a point exterior to the furnace. The current passes from these contact members to the lower band :22 which surrounds the lower exterior surface of the cylindrical casing 11, and is insulated there from, as shown clearly in Fig. 4:, by the band of refractory insulating material 2?). The band 22 and the insulating band 23 are attached to the furnace in any suitable man; ner. The lower-band is connected in. parallel with positive electrodes 2st disposed in the wall of the' furnace and projecting into the heating chamber thereof. The current passes from these electrodes through the material held in the furnace and thence to the two vertical. electrodes 25 which project through the cover of the furnace into the heating chamber and are adapted to serve as negative electrodes. The current passes through these negative electrodes tothe wires 26 which are connected 1n parallel with the upper band 27 which surrounds the upper surface of the inclosing casing. This band is also suitably insulated by a band 28 of refractory insulating material similar to that used with the lower band. This upper band contacts with contact members 25) which are fixed at point exterior to the furnace, and these contact members are in turn attached to wires 30. The contact members associated with the upperand lower bands maybe of any convenient design, and the friction clips-shown in the drawings may beconveniently replaced by a brush, wheel or similar deviceadapted to contact with the bands.

The ball-bearing members shown in Fig. 1 may be replacedby a modified construe tion shown in Fig. 3, where the table 1 is provided with a stud 31 which is adapted to bear in a ring 32 which may be attached to the floor r other means of support. Secured to the under surface of the table by means of brackets 33 are shafts 34 supporting at their outerextremities, wheels 35. Supported by brackets 36 in a similar manner at an angle to the shafts 35 are other shafts .37 having Wheels 38 at their outer extremities. The wheels mounted on these shafts are flanged and adapted'to travel on a track 39and thereby provide a rolling bearing surface for the table.

In general practice a ladle like that shown in Fig. 7 is preferably provided. The ladle has substantially the same general structure as the furnace, but contains some additional features, making it adaptable for its particular purpose. Attached to the lower portion of the ladle, as shown in Fig. 7, are perforated lugs 10. In this embodiment, the lugs are disposed like the corners of a square about the furnace. The'perforated lugs are adapted to engage and be held by uprightrods 41, which are in turnsecured to the upper surface of the rotating table. In ordervto provide means for transporting the ladle from-the furnace to the molds, or elsewhere, the outer casing is provided with trunnions 42 whereby the ladle may be lift ed, using a crane, tongs, or other device. In order to facilitate pouring of the molten material from the ladle, spouts 43 are'pro vided in the outer casing, and the inner lining of refractory material conforms thereto. As will be noted, the arrangement of the inner lining is substantiallythe same as that of the furnace proper, being provided with projecting firebricks, having beveled surfaces, as well as flush bricks. If desired the ladle may be provided with a cover, a door and a tap hole, as has been shown in connection with the furnace.

In operating the device, the material to be subjected to melting or other heat treatment is charged into the interior of the'furnace by the door 14 or else, if found to be preferable, by removing the cover 13. After charging, power is applied to the shaft 10 and thereby to the rotatable table 1. Current is supplied to the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes being in proper-position to receive the current, the furnace will be heated. The

. rotation of the furnace tends to force any molten material therein up on the sides thereof, and the projecting firebricks, as previously explained, tend to thrust the material down into the furnace, so that the upper surface of the fluid remains substantially level and the tendency for the fluid to rise on the sides is practically overcome. A path of flow will consequentlybeestablished, in the furnacewhich will tend tofollowsubstantially the following course: The partipoint will tend to cles of material at the outermost boundaries of the mass will tend to proceed, downwardly toward the center thereof, from that ass in a substantially central path upward and from thence Will tend to proceed. toward the outermost boundaries ofthe mass. This path of-travel will effect a thorough and complete agitation of'the mass and Will'consequently provide therefor a-thorough blending and incorporation. After incorporation of the various constituents of a given mass of metal which has been subjected to the melting process in the furnace, the material is often too hot to pass directly to the molds or to be subjected to other processes, and it becomes necessary to cool it. This may be convenientlydone in the furnace Cproper by simply turningofi' 'the current an allowing the rotation to continue. This rotation will not only tend to-cool the metal more rapidly by agitating it, butat the same time will prevent the segregation of the various parts into the molds, or carried through other processes. The embodiment described rovides a highly satisfactory means for agitating the material to be heated, and practically prevents the segregations of material which frequently occur in the formation of alloys and in various other metallurgical and heating processes.

The rotation of the furnace about its vertical axis is a feature of special importance in view of the fact that the material Within the furnace is providedwith a motion, due

in part to that of the furnace proper and in part to the projecting bricks, and a Very thorough admixture is consequently obtained Furthermore, with the construction shown, the source of heat is in continuously intimate contact with the various portions of the material. to be heated during the whole period of heating.

It will thus be seen that a simple and practical device'is provided wherein the ob jects of the invention, among others, are achieved. 3 I

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently" widely different embodiments of' this invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended thatallumattercontained in the above descrip- -tion or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood thatthe language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said 'to fall the-rebetween. I

Having described my inventionpwh at I Letters-f claim as new and desire to secure by Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a furnace com'pris-- ing a heating chamber adapted to rotate. on a vertical axis, said chamber being provided with converging walls forming an inclined discharging trough, and means adaptodito rotate said furnace. g 2. In an apparatus of the'nature disclosed,

in combination, a furnace, means adapted to} rotate said furnace, and means adapted to prevent substantlally the rise of material t-ain of said firebricks projecting into said .40

along the wall of said furnace, due to the rotation of said furnace. I

3. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a furnace, means adapted to rotate said furnace, and means, independent of said rotating means, adapted to agitate material held in said furnace while maintaining the upper surface of said material substantially level. v

4. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a furnace, means adapted to rotate said furnace, and a member projecting from the wall of said furnace and adapted to throw downward and thereby agitate material held in said furnace.

5. In an apparatus'of the nature disclosed, in combination, an upright furnace provided with a chamber having a lining of fire-resisting material, ,a part of said lining material projectinginto said chamber, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

, 6. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a furnace, a stirring member projecting-therein, said stirring member being provided with a beveled face, and

means adapted to rotate said furnace.

7. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a movable upright furnace provided with alining of firebricks, certain of said firebricks being provided with a beveled face-adapted to depress material inthe furnace, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

8. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a movable furnace adapted to rotate and provided with a substantially cylindrical heating chamber, said heating chamber having av liningof fire-bricks, cerchamber, the projecting portion offeach fire brick being beveled, the bricksv being set in such a manner that. the beveled surface slopes in a direction oblique .to the direction of rotation of the furnace, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

9. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed,

in combination,a furnace adapted to rotate and having a substantially cylindrical upright wall providing a heating chamber, a tap in the lower portion of said furnace wall, said furnace being provided with a slanting trough-like bottom wall, said bottom wall sloping toward said tap, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

10. In an apparatus 'of the nature disclosed, in combination, a furnace adapted to rotate and having a substantially cylindrical upright wallroviding a heating chamber, a tap in the ower portion of said furnace wall, said furnace being provided wit-h a slantingtrough-like bottom wall, said bottom wall sloping toward said tap,

said chamber being provided with a lining of fire-bricks, certain of said fire-bricks pro jecting into said chamber, theprojecting being ward said tap,

noeacoi portion of each fire-brick being beveled, said bricks-"being set in such a manner that the surface slopes in a direction oblique to the rotation of the furnace, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

11. In an' apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a table adapted to rotate, a furnace removably attached thereto and rotatable therewith, a support for said table, the upper surface of said support being provided with an annular groove, the lower surface of said table being provided with a corresponding annular groove, and a ball bearing member resting in contact with. said grooves and serving as a bearing surface between said table and said support.

12. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a substantially upright movable heating chamber, having a fire-resisting lining, comprising fire-bricks, certain of said bricksprojecting into said chamber.

13. In an a' paratus of the naturedis face and projecting1 beyond the surface of: I

the lining into the eating chamber.

-15. In an apparatus of the nature 'disclosed,a rotatable furnace provided with a substantially cylindrical heating chamber having a lining of fire-bricks, certain of said fire-bricks projecting into said chamber, the projecting port-ion of each of said fire-bricks being beveledand said bricks being set in such manner that the beveled surface slopes in a direction oblique to the direction of rotation of the furnace.

16. In an apparatus of the nature dis-' closed, in combination, a substantially upright movable furnace having alining comprisinga seriesof .firebricks, certain of said bricks being laid fiat, certain others of said "bricks'being laid with a portion projecting beyond the outermost surface of said flat bricks, theprojecting portion of said bricks beveled to a point aboutxmidway of the length of said bricks.

l7. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a heating chamber having a substantially cylindrical upright wall, and'a tap in the lower portion of said wall, said 'chamber'being provided :with a slanting bottom, said bottom sloping to said heating chamber being provided wit a lining of fire-brick, certain of said fire-bricks projecting into said chambcr, the projecting'portion of each of said fire-bricks being beveled in such a brick.

18'. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, an upright furnace having a substantially cylindrical exterior rent to said lower periphery, an upper band attached to. and

surrounding the upper portion of said periphery and a lower band attached to and surrounding the lower portion of said periphery, a plurality of contact members adapted} to contact with said bands, one of said contact members being adapted to ,supply an electric current to one of said bands and another of said contact members being adapted to conduct a current from another of said bands, one of said bands being attached to a horizontal electrode, and the other ofsaid bands being attached to a verticlosed, in combination, a furnace, electrodes cal electrode, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

1,9, In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a rotatable furnace having a substantially cylindrical surface,

an upper band surrounding the upper'portion of said surface connected to a vertical negative electrode, a lower band surrounding the lower portion ofsaid surface connected to a positive electrode, said bands being'attach'ed to said furnace and adapted to rotate therewith, a plurality of contact members adapted to make a continuous contact with said bands, one of'said contact members being ada ted to transmit a ourand and thence to said positive electrode, another of said contact members being adapted to conduct a current passing from said negative electrode through said upper band, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

20. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, .a table adapted to rotate, a furnace attached thereto and rotatable therewith, a track, rotative members associated with said table and coacting with said track, saidjmembers being adapted to provide a bearing surface for said table upon rotation, and means adapted to rotate said table.

21. In an apparatus ,of the nature .dis

closed, in combination, a furnace adapted to rotate, having a substantially cylindrical heating chamber, a tap in the side Wall of said heating chamber, said furnace being provided with a slanting trough-likebottom wall, said bottom wall sloping toward and joining said ,tap, and means adapted to rotate'said furnace.

221111 an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a table adapted to rotate, a furnace removably attached thereto, and means adapted to rotate said table.

23. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a table adapted to ro- 'ceptacle.

tate, and a furnace removably mounted thereon. 24. In an apparatus of the nature dis.-

clo-sed, in combination, a furnace, means adapted to move said furnace,'and means adapted to prevent substantially the rise of material on the sides of the furnace.

25. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a furnace, means adapted to movesaid furnace, and means adapted to prevent substantially the rise of material on the side of the furnace comprising a member adapted to deflect material downward.

' 26. In an apparatus of the nature dis;

closed, in combination, a furnace, means adapted to supply electric current to said furnace, and means adapted to rotate said furnace. I

27. In an apparatus of the nature. dispro ecting:into said furnace, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

28. In an a paratus of the nature disclosed, in com ination, a furnace having a heating chamber, electrodes projecting into said heating chamber in' the upper portion thereof, electrodes projecting into said chamber in the lower-portion thereof, means to supply current -to said electrodes, and means adapted to rotate said furnace.

29. In an apparatus of the character descrlbed, in combination, a receptacle, means adapted to rotate said receptacle on an upright axis, and'means' whereby the rise of.

.ergy as the receptacle rotates.

31. In an apparatus of the character describedrin combination, a receptacle, means adapted to' rotate said receptacle, and a trough stationary relative to the receptacle adapted to discharge the contents of the re- 32. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a receptacle, means adapted to rotate said receptacle on an upright axis, means whereby the rise of material at the sides of the receptacle due to rotation is substantially revented, means adapted to heat said receptacle comprising electrodes spaced in the receptacle, a source of electric energy, and means adapted to connect the electrodes to sald source of energy as the receptacle rotates.

In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a receptacle, means adapted to rotate said receptacle onan up right axis, means whereby the rise of material at the sides of the receptacle due to rotation is substantially prevented, means adapted to heat said receptacle comprising electrodes spaced in the receptacle, a source'of electric'energy, means adapted to'connect the electrodes, to said sourceof energy as the receptacle rotates, and a trough static-nary relative to the receptacle adapted to discharge the contents of the receptacle.

34. In anapparatus of the character described, in combination, a receptacle, means ary relatively to the receptacle adapted'to adapted to rotate said receptacle on an'uprightaxis, a trough stationary relative. to said receptacle adapted to discharge the contents of the receptacle, and means whereby the rise of material at the sides of the pot due to'rot-ation is substantially prevented.

35. In an apparatus of the characte'r described, in combination, a receptacle, .means adapted to rotate said receptacle, means adapted to heat said receptacle comprising electrodes spaced in the receptacle, a source of electric energy, means adapted to connect the electrodes to the source of energy as the receptacle rotates, and a trough-station? discharge the contents of the receptacle. r

36. In an apparatus ofthe character described, in combination, a receptacle, means adapted to'rotate said receptacle on an up- .right axis, and-means whereby the rise of.-

material at the sides of the receptacle is substantially prevented, comprising elements in the receptacle having surfaces inclined to the plane of'rotation. t

;37. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a receptacle, means adapted to rotate said receptacle on an upright axis, andmeans whereby the rise of material at the sides of the receptacle is substantially prevented, comprising ele ments projecting from the walls of the receptacle and havingsurfaces inclined to the plane of rotation.

38. In an apparatus of-the character described, in combination, a receptacle, means adapted to rotate said receptacle on an upright axis, and means whereby the riseof material at the sidesof the receptacle is substantially prevented, comprising ele-' ments projecting from the walls ofthereceptacle and having surfaces so inclined to the plane of rotation as to deflect the material downwardly.

39.. In an apparatus of the character described,-in combination, a receptacle, means adapted to rotate said receptacle on -an upright axis, and means whereby the rise of material at the sides of the receptacle is substantially prevented,-c'ompris1ng elements projecting from the walls of the receptacle 1n different horizontal planes and having surfaces inclined to the plane of rotation so as to direct material downwardly.

- to rotate said furnace.

40. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a furnace, a pin, rality of sources of heat disposed in the wall of said furnace, and means adapted I 41. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed, in combination, a furnace, -means adapted to supply electric current to said furnace, and means adapted to rotate. said furnace.

42. In an apparatus of the nature dis-- cl0sed,in combination, a furnace, and means adapted to supply ah electric current to said furnace, comprising a band associated with 'said furnace and a member adapted to move with respect'to said'furnace and to supply current to said band.

43, In an apparatus of the nature dis closed, in combination, a furnace, and means adapted to supply an electric current to said furnacefcompr'ising an upper band and a lower band, said bands being connected to electrodes and 'a'contact member adapted to contact with said bands and'to supply curadapted 'to traverse said bands. p

44; In' an apparatus ofthe nature disrent thereto, said contact member being closed, in combination, ai'furnace, means adapted to supply an electric current to said furnace, comprising a band associated with said furnace and amember adapted to contact with'said band and furnish electric .current thereto, and meansadapted to ro tate said furnace. Y

45.'In an apparatus of the nature dis-. closed, in combination, a furnace, means adapted to supply electric current to said furnace comprising a plurality of bands and sliding contact members adapted to co- .act therewith and to furnish current thereto, one of said bands being connected to a positive electrode and another of. said bands being connected to a negative electrode, and means adapted to rotate said-furnace.

' '46. Insan apparatus of the character described, in combination, a receptacle, means 48. In an apparatus of the character'described, in combination, a receptacle, means adapted to rotate 'said receptacle on a vertical axis, means whereby the rise of material' at the sides of the receptacle is resisted, comprising elements projecting from -'.the walls of the receptacle and having surfaces inclined to the lane of rotation so as to deflect material ownwardly, electrodes spaced in the receptacle, a source of electric energy, afixed contact member, and a scribed, in combination, a'receptacle rotacontact member movable With the receptable about a vertical axis, and means for tacle and adapted to contact said fixed electrically heating the charge in. the inmember. I I terior'of the receptacle during rotation. 15

5 49. In anapparatus of the character de- In testimony whereof .l aflix my signature,

scribed, in combination, a receptacle, means in the presence of two Witnesses.

adapted to rotate said receptacle means i r w .Whereby the riseof material at the sides of JAMES OHURCHWARD' the receptacle is substantially prevented, I -Vvitnesses:

' 10 and means adapted to heat said receptacle. 'J. THOMSON,

50. In an apparatus of the characterde- L A. WATSON. 

